Presented by
Sherri Brooks Vinton
“May God bless whoever invented canning.”
Come join us and learn how canning got its start and changed civilization and the culinary world forever. Our speaker will tell us a tale of preservation heritage and share a number of tips on modern home canning that she offers in her new book, Put ‘em Up! Fruit. Continue reading
by
Terese Allen,
Author and President of Culinary History Enthusiasts of Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s culinary traditions, both past and present, reflect the richness of an ethnically and agriculturally diverse region. Author Terese Allen shares the stories behind–and recipes for–such varied foodways as cream puffs, Hmong egg rolls and the Friday night fish fry. From Ojibwe wild rice to arugula pesto pasta, she tracks the amazing cornucopia of what Wisconsinites have gathered, grown, produced, cooked, and eaten. Continue reading
Presented by
Jerrold Leiken, MD
Nationally Acclaimed Poison Expert
Poison expert Dr. Jerrold Leikin, will reveal the history and nature of agroterrorism, or how the human food supply has been used as a weapon to launch a multitude of toxins. Gather round as Dr. Leikin talks about our vulnerabilities, and describes some horrific biological, chemical and radiological food contamination events. And he will tell us of the numerous valiant food employees who have been “the first non-clinical professionals to identify and respond to incidences of agroterrorism.” Continue reading
Program and exhibit tour by
Julia Gardner, Exhibit Curator
and Head Reader Services, Special Collections Research Center
Special Collections Research Center Exhibition Gallery
Regenstein Library
1100 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL
How does one roast a fawn or properly set a dinner table for twelve? For centuries, people have been documenting and decoding the vast array of knowledge associated with domestic life, assembling cooking and household guides to assist with the tasks of daily living. Not merely collections of recipes and how-to instructions, these guides also document cultural patterns and give insight into the development of modern-day kitchen and cooking practices. This exhibition, drawn primarily from the Rare Books Collection, provides a sampling of European and American cookbooks and domestic manuals from court chefs of the 15th century to cooking icons of the 20th century. Continue reading
Presented by
Kara Newman
Kara Newman began her career as a financial writer. Her inspiration for The Secret Financial Life of Food began with two little words in the financial newsweekly Barron’s. Jim Rogers, a noted commodities expert, gave the following advice: “Buy breakfast.” He was talking about pork belly futures (which no longer trade) and frozen orange juice futures. That one little comment snapped into focus the point that agricultural commodities aren’t abstract financial concepts – at heart, they’re about food. Pork bellies become the bacon on your plate; frozen orange juice becomes the OJ in your glass. In the end, it’s all about food. Continue reading